Limited two dimensional electric transmission system



Sept. 9, 1958 E. G. EPERGUE LIMITED TWO DIMENSIONAL ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Filed Sept. 4, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1II

FIG.II

INVENTOR Edmond EPERGUE.

I I I l I l I I I l l I I I Sept. 9, 1958 E. G. EPERGUE LIMITED TWO DZIIMENSIOILAL. ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Filed Sept. 4, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F IG. 1V

INVE'NTOR Edmond EPEHGUE,

United States Patent Ofiice 2,850,987. Patented Sept. 9, 1958 LIMITED TWO DIMENSIONAL ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Edmond G. Epergue, Rockford, Ill.

Application September 4, 1953, Serial No. 378,473

8 Claims. (Cl. 104-149) The transmission of the electric power to a moving mobile on a line (one dimension) is generally realised by means of two sliding contacts; in space (three dimensions) it is the field of the electromagnetic waves.

The transmission of the electric power to a moving mobile on a surface (two dimensions) until now, is almost useless because of inadequate actual methods; the futility of these methods being well illustrated by the example of a system wherethe track consists of parallel conductors which of half is of one potential and the other half at another potential. In such a system the moving body or vehicle having two current collectors must be moving approximately lengthwise and closely in the direction of the conductors; there is impossibility of electric transmission and motion in the large space nearly to the perpendicular direction to that of the conductors because the two current collectors are short-circuited over a conduc- The object of the present invention is to provide a transmission system of the electric power to a moving body or vehicle on a limited flat surface or track particularly adapted so that the moving body or vehicle or any engines of miniature size, also adapted according to this invention, may be electrically operated, powered or steered whatever is the direction of the displacement or the position of the moving. device on the runway or track.

The basic statements of this system are following:

I. The runway surface or track is used as transmitting station by means of parallel, straight conductors, equally spaced on the runway or track and supplied of electric current through a voltage divider.

II. The moving body or vehicle, adapted for running on the runway or track, includes three contact brushes or current collectors suitablement spaced and located at the three corners of a right angled isosceles triangle, to pick up the electric current on the track conductors and so, supply any relays or motors with two variable voltages.

III. The basic electrical elements (relays or motors) of the moving body or vehicle are physically set to make summation of the electromagnetic actions of the above mentioned two voltages to get a resultant action without regard to the position or the motion of the mobile body or vehicle on the track.

Naturally the meanings of the present invention will be understood better in the following and more detailed description when read in connection with the annexed drawing in which:

Fig. I is a schematic diagram of the system showing the typical electrical arrangement of the track conductors and a basic electrical equipment of any device running on the track, with general purpose relay use.

Fig. la shows an auxiliary diagram of reference for theoretical explanations.

Fig. II shows a diagrammatic illustration of another form of basic electrical equipment of any moving device with ratchet relay.

Fig. III shows a wiring diagram of another form of basic electrical equipment of any moving device with general purpose motors.

Fig. IV is a concise outline of a wiring diagram, illustrating the invention use (with selector relays) to operate externally the remote control of any automotive vehicle going on the track.

Fig. V is another diagrammatic illustration of the in vention use (with selector and ratchet relays) to operate externally the remote control of three automotive vehicles as above, moving together on the track.

Referring to Fig. I, the dotted line quadrilateral represents schematically a flat runway surface or track comprising an appropriate quantity of parallel, straight conductors 2 equally spaced over the surface, each one being connected to equidistant taps 3 of a voltage divider 4; this voltage divider is supplied by an electric source 5 thru an adjusting resistor 6 and a switch 7 so that the voltage between two successive conductors is of same value.

The dotted line circle 8 represents schematically a moving body or vehicle free to move around in any way on the runway or track; this moving body bears three current collectors suitably spaced and located at the three corners of a right angled isosceles triangle AO-B to pickup the electric current on the track conductors.

It is well to note that the right angled corner 0 is a common contact and OA and OB are of equal length; this arrangement will be capable to pickup two variable voltages depending upon that of the sine and cosine of the angle formed by the direction of the track conductors and that of the displacement of the moving device.

Finally the three current collectors are connected, thru leaders 91011, to general purpose relay 12 which is represented outside of the circle 8 to make easier the description and purpose of this relay.

Of course, in such a system, virtually equivalent to a developed potentiometer over the runway surface, the quantity of conductors bridged over OA or OB must be at least 20 so that, in this case, the maximum collected voltage value thru OA or OB will be 20 times the 15 bears an isolated contact arm 18 which at the stop position is closed on the contact 20 and terminal 21 of center point 16. (13 and 14 are of same characteristics.)

Then, it is easy to understand in what manner the system is to be performed: when the switch 7 is closed eachdivision of the resistor 4 being equal, we have equal voltages between the successive taps 3 and each conductor 2 creates one line nearly equipotential on the surface I, the potential of each successive line increases or decreases With an equal value.

Now let us look at the auxiliary diagram Fig. la, on which: the three sliding contacts OA-B have been carried in any way as shown; the straight line of direction OF is perpendicular to the equipotential line 2 at the point 0 which is at the corner of the right angle composed by the two equal sides 0A and OB of the isosceles triangle OA-B; the voltages obtained between 0 and A and between 0 and B are respectively proportional to the length 0A=0B=iV; V being a constant value which is the maximum voltage value that will be obtained on either 0A or OB.

In the following explanations the sign i of V will be in any way put aside as without object in the present case: when vector OA comes in the O-F direction, the voltage value obtained by CA is V and the one obtained by OB is zero; when vector O--B, comes in the,O-F direction, the voltage value obtained by B is V and the one obtained by CA is zero.

If 0A forms an angle a" with the straight line O-F the voltage value between 0 and A is practically proportional to V cos a=0A and the one between 0 and B is practically proportional to V sin u=OB So the coils of the two electro-magnets -1314 are connected through the leads 91011, at the voltage'values according to the following formulas:

V cos a for electro-magnet 13 and 'V sin a for electro-magnet 14 It is well known that the attraction force of an electromagnet is proportional to the square power of the current in the coil: I approximately (magnetic circuit not saturated) and finally approximately proportional to the square power of the supplied voltage if a too excessive voltage drop, due to the resistance or impedance of the coil is carefully avoided.

So, each electro-magnet acts on the lever 15 with its own force that is nearly proportional to: (13 and 14 of same characteristics) V cos a (electro-magnet 13) V sin" a (electro-magnet 14) and the relative arrangement of the lever with the electro-magnet actions is in such a way that the work ofeach one of these forces acts to make the contact arm lever 15 swing in the same direction.

If K is a new constant, the resultant torque is equal to:

K(cos tZ-j-Sll'l a)=K=constant since as well known:

cos (Z-I-Sifl a=1 So, it is obvious that whatever the position of the mobile is and also the one of the contacts OAB on the surface, all electric impulse caused by means of the switch 7 is transmitted to relay 12 with an electro mechanical effect of a constant value on lever arm 15 which opens the contact 20 and closes the contact 19; these contacts can be inserted in any electrical circuit inside the mobile, to govern its motion or any work requested.

Considering the ratchet relay 22 schematically represented in Fig. II we have same disposition of the electromagnet circuits 13 and 14 connected to A-O--B contacts, but in this case, the lever 15 is on the stop 26 at rest position and bears a pawl 24 which at each electromagnetic impulse, originated from a temporary closing of the switch 7, will drive by steps, a ratchet Wheel 23 fitted on the shaft 25 of the drum controller 27 comprising two sets of conductor segments 28-29 or plus, equally spaced on the drum circle; these segments, during the running of the drum will successively close and open the stationary dual contacts 30-31, which may be inserted in any electrical circuit inside the moving device to govern or regulate its motion or any work requested.

Referring to device 32, schematically represented in Fig. III, the A--OB contacts are connected as shown to a pair of series motors 33-34 of which the armatures are set on a common shaft with pulley arrangement 3536; it will be well to use motors with unsaturated magnetic field.

Thus, when closing the switch 7, the flow of electric current thru the motors generates a starting and next a running torque T in the rotary device 35-36, which remains approximately proportional and equal to the sum of the produced torques in each motor. The speed and torque regulation of the device may be performed externally with the voltage adjusting resistor 6 or from inside the device by means of any adjusting apparatus and auxiliary circuits; naturally the disposable torque T on pulley 35 may be used to operate the moving device or any mechanical engine inside it.

Fig. IV shows the wiring diagram of remote control for a miniature automative vehicle with electric equipment inside the dotted line rectangle 8a; the run-way surface is represented by the voltage divider 4, the electric source is shown in 5; a four tap adjusting resistor, shown in 6, permits the choice of the four different voltages ab c--d increasing from a to d by means of two arm switch selector 37 actuated by any operator who can close the circuit on a or b with arm 38, and on c or d with arm 39. The mechanical lock 40 between 38 and 39, stops the simultaneous closing of the circuit on two voltages.

The equipment 8a consists of: three sliding contacts OAB, connected to four selective relays 12a12b 12c12d (arrangement relay 12) respectively sensitive to the voltages abc-.-d; the terminal 21 of 12d (the biggest voltage) is connected to one of the poles of the battery 42 by lead 43; the terminals 20 and 21 of the other relays are connected as shown thru leads 61, 62 and 63; the terminals 19 of the relays 12a and 12b are connected to the split series motor 45 to operate the steering mechanism of the vehicle; the terminals of the relays 12c and 12d are connected to the auxiliary split series motor 46 toactuate thru shaft 47 the controller drum 48 (with or without resistor) of the traction motor 49. Finally 50 is the coil of any magnetic brake to the stop position of the vehicle and the lead 44 is the second polarity of the three motors.

From what was said above, it is understood that the selectivity of the functions is obtained by choosing the voltages abc--d, to control, like any pulsing system, the motor 45 and 46 which actuate, intermittently, the steering mechanism and the traction motor controller 48. Besides, it should be noticed that: the steering mechanism and the traction controller are supposed to be mechanically set in the purpose to stay in position after the stop of the actuator (worm gear irreverse as example), the controller assuming also a neutral zone for stop position. Each relay is sensitive to its own voltage and for higher voltages of work; it is not sensitive to lower voltages. The motors commonly called split series consists of two reversed field coils to reverse the rotation direction.

Then, the system operation is as following: let us suppose that first: the move forward is controlled by voltage c, the move backward will be then controlled by voltage d: second: the steerage to right is controlled by voltage b, the steerage toleft" will be controlled by voltage a.

To get starting forward, the operator closes the arm 39 to tap contact 0; the contact arm 18 of the relay 12c closes the contact 19 to supply the motor 46 and opens the contact 20 into the circuit of supply of the motor 45 (steering); the relay 12d did not work because of the lack of requested voltage. So the motor 46 is driving the controller 48 into requested way to close finally the supply circuit of the traction motor 49 to go forward and this simultaneously with the braking out of operation by coil 50.

The operator, who is observing the vehicle, govern its motion by means of the contact arm 38 operating upon a and b voltages. It is easy to see that relays 12a and 12b are working the same way as above for motor 45 actuating the steering mechanism.

Fig. V is a schematic wiring diagram of remote control for three miniature automotive vehicles identical to the one described in Fig. IV; of course, each one of the vehicles may be supposed to be under control of its own operator; the surface is represented as above by the voltage divider 4 which, ,in this case, owns two supply circuits; first, a direct current circuit composed of the electric source 512, the four tap resistor 6 and three control selectors 37;

Second, an alternating current circuit composed of the electric source 5b and a timing controller 53 driven by an auxiliary actuator, this controller allowing the choice of the diverse vehicles in giving successively to each one of them, the one third of the time for its own control (pulsing control).

The timing controller consist of: first, five steady contacts 51 to 52 connected as shown. Second, a set of mobile contacts 55 adjusted as shown, on a common rotary drum 53 rotating very slowly around the actuator shaft 54.

It will be easily seen that during the rotation of the drum, the voltage divider is alternatively supplied by A. C. (current) and D. C. (current) and this, along 120 for each vehicle.

The equipment of each vehicle (dotted line rectangle 8b) is as following: one equipment 8a (see Fig. IV).

And one relay, arrangement 22 of which drum 27 carries the contacts 2829 every three teeths of the ratchet wheel 23, but, with a phase diflierence of one tooth on each vehicle.

The 8a equipment, sensitive to D. C., is' connected to AOB as shown thru gaps 59 and inductors 60.

The 22 relay sensitive to A. C., is connected to AO-B as shown thru transformers 5657 with resistors 58 in the primary, so that the inductors 60 neutralize the way of the A. C. to the equipment 8a, the transformers 5657 neutralize the way of the D. C. to the relay 22 and, the gaps 59 are controlled by relay 22.

The system operation is then as following:

We remember that the mechanical system of steering control and the traction motor control of the Sn equipment are supposed such as the position assumed at the time of the impulsion by selector switch 37, are staying without change after stoppage of the impulsion.

On the other hand, the timing controller drum 53 is ahead rotating with a suitable speed.

At the time when the drum 53 closes the contact 51 thru 55 and 52, the equipotential lines are supplied under A. C. the relay 22 of each vehicle works and the drum 127 goes forward one tooth but, only one of the three drum 27 sets the supply circuit of 8a in closing the gaps 59. The rotating drum 53 leaves the contact 51 and reaches the contact of the control selector 37 adjusted in synchronization with the corresponding equipment 8a in which the circuit gaps 59 have been closed in the previous operation.

Then, at this time, an impulsion of control can be sent into the vehicle and the operations are succeeding in same order for all the vehicles.

So, having particularly described and illustrated the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, notwithstanding a few embodiments considered, that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the said invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An electric transmission system for the operation of any adapted device moving on a flat surface, said system comprising a series of equally spaced straight conductors set on a floor of insulating material as electrified area for said device, an equi-distant tapped voltage divider connected in series with a switch, voltage control means and two terminals for a stationary source of electricity, each one of the said conductors being electrically connected to successive taps of said voltage divider whereby the voltage between two conductors will be of same value; said moving device being provided with three suitably spaced collectors of current isolated one from each other and located at the three corners of a right angled isosceles triangle, said collectors of current provided withterminals and adapted to slide over said conductors to select two voltages, one between the right angle and adjacent contact, an another between the said right angle and the other adjacent contact, said voltages varying as function of the orientation of said moving device with maximum value proportional to said conductors bridged over the space between the common contact and each of the other adjacent contacts; said moving device being further provided with an electromagnetic integrator relay, said relay comprising an arrangement of two identical electromagnets actuating a single swinging armature so that the total attraction eifect is the sum of the attraction effects of the two electromagnets when the coils are energized, said coils being connected to said collector of current terminals, one side of each coil being connected to right angle common terminal, the other sides connected to other collector of current terminals whereby said swinging armature is electrically operated from said stationary source of electricity over adjustment means, voltage divider, conductors, collectors of current and electromagnet coils, said swinging armature including a contact arm electrically insulated from armature and in combination with fixed make and break contacts, said contacts must be inserted into operative circuits of electrical apparatus, means of propulsion and control circuits otherwise provided to first said moving device.

2. An electric transmission system as claimed in claim 1 having a moving device where in said swinging armature of the integrator relay actuates a ratchet wheel indexing mechanism associated with a controller drum, said controller drum bearing an arrangement of electrically insulated conductor segments in combination with insulated fixed contacts whereby make and break contacts are successivelyoperated from each step of said armature which is attracted when energizing the coils of said integrator relay.

3. An electric transmission system as claimed in claim 1 having a moving device where beside said current collectors is provided with an arrangement of two suitable and identical series electric motors of which the rotary armatures are mechanically fixed'on a same shaft so that the total torque developed by said shaft will be the sum of the two components; the two motor terminals of each said motors being connected to said current collector terminals, one side of each motor connected to right angle common terminal, the other sides connected to other current collector terminals whereby said arrange ment of motors is electrically operated from said stationary source of electricity.

4. An electric transmission system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stationary source of electricity is a source of alternating voltage.

5. An electric transmission system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stationary source of electricity is a source of alternating voltage and the voltage divider consists of a tapped secondary of transformer.

6. An electric transmission system as claimed in claim 1 having a moving device wherein electrical amplifier and rectifier circuits are inserted between said current collectors and integrator relay coils.

7. An electric transmission system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the moving device is a miniature automotive vehicle including electrical driving means, electrical steering means and electrical wiring circuits, said vehicle being further provided with a selector arrangement of four said integrator relays connected in parallel to said current collectors, the make and break contacts of said relays being inserted in the electrical wiring circuit of said steering and driving means; said selector arrangement is respectively sensitive to four different voltages between terminals of the said voltage divider, said voltages selected across said voltage control means including a four tap adjusting resistor and an arrangement of selector switches whereby the said vehicle is operated to move forwardbackward and right-hand or left-hand from the said stationary source of electricity.

8. An electrictransmission system'as claimed in claim 7 wherein are three identical automotive vehicles moving simultaneously over the area, each one of said vehicles being further provided with a stepping integrator relay of predetermined starting point, the contacts of said relay being inserted in the electric circuit between said current collectors and said selector arrangement of four integrator relays for switching On-Off successively said electric circuits sensitive to different voltages impressed between terminals of the said voltage divider; said different voltages being selected across said voltage control means including a four tap adjusting resistor and an arrangement in parallel of three said selector switches (one for each vehicle) connected in series with a rotary timing controller, said rotary timing controller having a contact combination comprising first: contacts switching On-01f the circuit of an additional stationary source of alternating voltage for control of said stepping integrator relays, secondly: contacts switching On-OE the circuit of,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,039,272 Gradenwitz Sept. 24, 1912 1,487,315 Connely Mar. 18, 1924 1,497,382 Rollason June 10, 1924 1,668,249 Rich May 1, 1928 1,856,991 Franklin May 3, 1932 2,155,343 Bonanno Apr. 18, 1939 2,452,042 Everett Oct. 26, 1948 2,717,557 Seyffer Sept. 13, 1955 

